Flight search engines are a great way to save time and money when booking flights especially when you are a frequent flier. The Internet has made it possible for customers to find the best deals on flights and compare prices between airlines. Searching and booking your seat on an airplane is a matter of a few minutes now.
There are many other benefits of using flight search engines when booking your next trip. These platforms allow you to browse different routes and select the best option for your schedule and budget.
Also, lots of such search engines offer special discounts or credit card rewards that can help reduce the overall cost of your ticket. With that said, here are the best flight search engines and booking portals to consider.
1. Skiplagged
If you are looking for cheap flight booking deals, you must consider Skiplagged. A loophole in traditional airline ticketing enables this search engine to find low-cost flights. Instead of searching for seats separately from City A to City B, Skiplagged does it differently. It looks for skirted-city fares and tickets from City A to City C with a stopover in City B.
You may arrive in City B and skip your second leg since layover flights are frequently less expensive than direct ones. However, airline companies have been reported to cancel tickets depending on miles or bring a lawsuit against those who do this regularly. It’s always good to go over your airline’s terms and conditions with a fine-tooth comb, as the contract may ban hidden city fares.
Features
- Explores skirted-city fares.
- Finds lower-cost layover flights.
- Potential savings, but check the terms.
- Caution regarding hidden city fares.
2. Kayak
With quick load times and good travel packages for hotels, car rentals, and cruise lines, Kayak is a trusted flight search engine you should try. Though, the website has a lot of advertising and an unorganized appearance, making it unsuitable for first-time visitors. Nevertheless, Kayak can help you explore some amazing discounts if utilized correctly.
The discounts it offers change with the season, so you’ll need to keep an eye on their website and newsletter for any special offers. Kayak is an excellent option if you seek to book a travel package or domestic flights. You can search through hundreds of vacation packages that combine flights and hotels at a discounted price for popular locations. It’s worth checking out these packaged deals, especially if you want to go somewhere popular.
Features
- Trusted with good travel packages.
- Quick load times for efficiency.
- Offers hotel, car, and cruise.
- Discounts change with the season.
3. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is one of Europe’s most popular flight search engines that recently became available in the United States. It offers a few features that make it unique, such as searching for flights by month instead of date and a map view of popular destinations from your location. These two features are excellent if you have flexibility with your travel dates or want to get ideas for potential vacation spots. Skyscanner also includes a price alert feature.
This one notifies you via email when the expense of your desired flight changes. Skyscanner has a wealth of information, including last-minute deals. You can change the service depending on your preferences, which most competitors lack.
For example, you may look for flexible tickets or flights with lower CO2 emissions. COVID-19 safety ratings are also provided for each airline, with up-to-date information on hygiene standards, required directives, and updates to in-flight services.
Features
- Unique features like monthly search.
- Map view of popular destinations.
- Price alert for desired flights.
- Flexibility options for preferences.
4. Agoda
Agoda is an online travel agency (OTA) that provides a user-friendly interface for booking trips quickly. It lets users book flights and hotels, monthly homestays, and airport transfers. You can ensure that your reservation is legitimate because it was created by the same parent company that owns Kayak, Booking.com, and Priceline (mentioned below).
Agoda also provides Agoda Homes with its unique homestay program. Many travelers would find it convenient to book their flights and temporary residences on the same website, similar to Airbnb. With over two million homes in 140 countries worldwide, including hotels, resorts, hostels, and more, it offers access to many properties.
Features
- User-friendly interface for quick booking.
- Offers flights, hotels, and homestays.
- Part of the same parent company.
- Over two million homes worldwide.
5. Expedia
Expedia is another popular travel agency you should frequently turn to for booking flights. The website offers a convenient search bar, where you can select your arrival and departure airports and choose either roundtrip or one-way fares. Expedia also provides hotel accommodations, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. One unique feature of Expedia is Express Deals.
These deals are unpublished fares, typically at lower rates than those booked on the site. You would have to be quick to book these deals because they sell fast. If you can’t access Express Deals, there are still plenty of great savings options available on the rest of the website. One last thing to note about Expedia is its rewards program, which allows you to earn points for free travel.
Features
- Convenient search bar for flights.
- Provides hotel, car, and cruise.
- Express Deals for unpublished fares.
- Rewards program for free travel.
6. Momondo
Momondo is a metasearch engine that searches various OTAs to find the best price for your desired flights. The website includes a user-friendly search interface and provides plenty of filters to help you find the perfect trip.
You may select your preferred airline, flight times, stops, and more. One neat feature of Momondo is its Price Calendar, which shows the cheapest days to fly to your destination over a month. This is an excellent tool to use if you have some flexibility with your travel dates.
Features
- Metasearch engine for best prices.
- User-friendly interface with filters.
- Price Calendar for cheapest days.
- Flexibility options for travel dates.
7. Google Flights
Google Flights likely doesn’t need an introduction, since it’s powered by Google, the most popular search engine in the world. The search engine is straightforward and provides various features to help you find the best flights. You can use the “Explore Map” feature to get ideas for potential vacation spots or use the price graph to see how prices fluctuate over time.
Google Flights also includes a price prediction feature, which estimates whether flight fees will go up or down in the future. This is a helpful tool to use if you’re trying to decide whether to book your flights now or wait for a better deal.
Features
- Powered by Google for reliability.
- “Explore Map” for vacation ideas.
- Price graph to track fluctuations.
- Price prediction feature for planning.
- A simple, yet professional UI.
8. Southwest
Southwest is a U.S.-based airline that offers both domestic and international flights. The airline is known for its budget-friendly fares and flexible cancellation policy. Southwest also doesn’t charge any hidden fees, so you know exactly how much your flight will cost when you book it. The Southwest Airlines website is a must-visit for domestic trips and vacations to the Caribbean.
Southwest does not allow its fares to be sold or displayed on third-party websites like Skiplagged, Google Flights, and Momondo. Therefore, you should always double-check it when purchasing a domestic economy or Caribbean vacation on another airline.
Features
- U.S.-based airline with budget-friendly fares.
- Flexible cancellation policy.
- No hidden fees for transparency.
- Check directly on the Southwest website.
9. Priceline
Like Agoda, Priceline allows you to book hotels, cars, and monthly homestays in addition to flights. One unique feature of Priceline is its “Name Your Own Price” tool, which permits users to bid on flights at a lower price than other travelers have paid. This tool can be problematic sometimes because you never know whether the airline company will accept your bid until after booking your flight.
However, if successful, this can help you save a lot of money on traveling. If you’re looking for a convenient travel agency that offers lots of features and savings options, Priceline is worth viewing.
Features
- Offers hotels, cars, and homestays.
- “Name Your Own Price” tool.
- Bidding on flights for savings.
- Convenient travel agency with features.
10. Travelocity
Travelocity is a travel website that offers many services to help you plan and book your perfect trip. From finding the best deals on flights and hotels to providing helpful tools and resources, the company leaves little doubt about whether to use it. Travelocity offers great deals on flights and hotels. Whether you’re looking for a last-minute deal or planning ahead, they can help you save money on your trip.
They have a wide selection of vacation packages to choose from. Whether you’re seeking a beach vacation, a city break, or a family-friendly adventure, you’ll find a package to suit your needs. It will undoubtedly help you find the best time to travel and even provide insider tips on what to see and do after you land.
Features
- Offers services to plan trips.
- Great deals on flights and hotels.
- Wide selection of vacation packages.
- Provides insider tips for travelers.